Fully automated demand response may be implemented at end users, in accordance with terms agreed to by end users to reduce energy demand during demand response events. Demand reduction actions to implement the objectives of a demand response event at the end users may be determined, desirably using artificial intelligence and neural networks, based on energy demand curtailment objectives of the demand response event, hierarchy(ies) of demand reduction actions for respective demand response events ordered to minimize undesired impact at the end users, and monitoring data received from, or relating to implementing energy demand curtailment at, the end users. In addition, demand reduction actions may be automatically implemented at end users in the absence of a demand response event, to implement energy demand curtailment according to criteria of end users, where the demand reduction actions are determined based on monitoring data and a hierarchy(ies) of demand reduction actions and using artificial intelligence and neural networks.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method for fully automated energy demand curtailment, the method comprising: determining, by a processor, a first demand response event based on electronic message data indicating a demand response event received over a communication network, wherein the electronic message data indicates one of a plurality of demand response events including the first demand response event; determining, by the processor, one or more demand reduction actions to be implemented at one or more end users who agreed to implement demand reduction for the first demand response event, wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are determined based on energy demand curtailment objectives of the first demand response event and a hierarchy of predetermined demand reduction actions for the first demand response event available for the one or more end users and ordered to minimize undesired impact at the one or more end users, wherein a first of predetermined demand reduction actions includes supplying energy from an alternative energy source to operate a first appliance at the one or more end users; monitoring data related to implementing energy demand curtailment at the one or more end users; and generating a signal or control data to implement the one or more demand reduction actions for at least one of one or more appliances of the one or more end users and one or more supplemental energy sources for supplying energy to the one or more end users.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monitoring data includes at least one of real time interior environmental data for the one or more end users; real time exterior environmental data for to the one or more end users; real time energy consumption data for the one or more end users; and real time supplemental energy generation data for the one or more end users; appliance operation data for the one or more end users; and supplemental energy source operation data.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the predetermined demand reduction actions includes activating a first appliance at the one or more end users having a lower energy demand load than a second appliance at the one or more end users having a function corresponding to that of the first appliance.
4. The method of claim 3 , where the first predetermined reduction action further includes controlling the second appliance to reduce its energy demand.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternative energy source includes at least one of a solar energy source, a biodiesel, gas or diesel generator, a wind turbine, and a cogeneration or trigeneration energy source.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the predetermined reduction actions includes controlling operation of a first appliance at the one or more end users to operate in a mode to reduce energy demand.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the mode includes at least one of a lower operating temperature and a lower motor or fan speed.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the predetermined reduction actions includes rescheduling an operating time period of an appliance at the one or more end users whose energy demand during operation exceeds a predetermined threshold.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining of the one or more demand reduction actions is view of a predetermined threshold defined by the one or more end users.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predetermined threshold is a predetermined maximum temperature and/or relative humidity for an interior of a facility of the one or more end users.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first end user of the one or more end users is an aggregation of a plurality of sub-end users.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are determined for the respective sub-end users based on criteria defined by the sub-end users and using artificial intelligence including use of neural networks.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising: generating a signal or control data to terminate implementation of a first demand reduction action at a first sub-end user of the first end user where a threshold defined by the first sub-end user for the first demand response event is exceeded.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the threshold is a temperature and/or relative humidity level within a facility of the first sub-end user.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising; generating a signal or control data to implement a second demand reduction action included in the predetermined demand reduction actions of the hierarchy, in place of the first demand reduction action, wherein the second demand reduction action is determined using artificial intelligence.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first of the predetermined reduction actions includes supplying supplemental electrical energy from a distributed energy source to the first end user to satisfy the energy demand curtailment objectives for the first demand response event.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first predetermined reduction action is implemented based on the monitoring data indicating that the first end user is not fully complying with the first demand response event.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first of the predetermined reduction actions includes supplying supplemental electrical energy from a supplemental energy source to the first end user to satisfy the energy demand curtailment objectives for the first demand response event, wherein the supplemental energy source is at an electrical power sub-station or a third party electrical power source.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first predetermined reduction action is based on the monitoring data indicating a deficit in demand reduction for the first end user for the first demand response event, and the method further includes: rendering, in substantially real time, data representative of extent of participation of the first end user in the first demand response event, and wherein the rendered data is presentable in a predetermined format.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the rendered data represents electrical energy demand by the one or more end users during the first demand response event.
21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the rendered data represents generation of supplemental energy by a supplemental energy source on behalf of the one or more ends users during the first demand response event.
22. The method of claim 11 , wherein a monetary award determined for the sub-end users is a function of level of participation of the sub-end users to reduce demand for determined demand response events.
23. The method of claim 1 , wherein implementation of a first demand reduction action at the one or more end users is preceded by implementation of an event notification action at the one or more end users including at least one of sounding an alarm and flashing of a majority of lights a predetermined time before the first demand reduction action is implemented, thereby eliminating a need for the one or more end users to be advised of the first demand response event by email, fax, phone or other method.
24. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic message data is included in at least one of an email, an XML document or a SOAP document.
25. The method of claim 1 further comprising: generating a second signal or second control data to implement a first demand reduction action at a first appliance of the one or more end users when the monitoring data indicates the first demand reduction action did not achieve a demand reduction corresponding to the first demand reduction action at the first appliance.
26. The method of claim 25 further comprising: notifying the one or more end users that the first demand reduction action did not achieve a demand reduction corresponding to the first demand reduction action at the first appliance.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising: generating a third signal or control data to turn off the first appliance based on an action taken by an operator of the one or more end users.
28. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first appliance of the one or more end users includes means for receiving a frequency modulation control signal and decreasing or increasing speed of a motor within the first appliance in accordance with the frequency modulation control signal.
29. A method for fully automated energy demand curtailment, the method comprising: receiving, a processor, an electronic message transmitted over a communication network indicating a demand response event; processing the electronic message, by the processor, to convert the electronic message into a demand response event signal, wherein the demand response event signal corresponds to a first demand response event of a plurality of demand response events; determining, by the processor, one or more demand reduction actions to be implemented at one or more end users under contract to implement demand reduction for the first demand response event; wherein a first of predetermined demand reduction actions includes supplying energy from an alternative energy source to operate a first appliance at the one or more end users; and generating a signal or control data to implement the one or more demand reduction actions at one or more energy devices of, or associated with, the one or more end users.
30. An apparatus for fully automated energy demand curtailment, the apparatus comprising: a demand response event determination unit to determine, based on electronic message data indicating a demand response event received over a communication network, a first demand response event, wherein the electronic message data indicates one of a plurality demand response events including the first demand response event; a demand reduction action unit to determine one or more demand reduction actions to be implemented at one or more end users under contract to implement demand reduction for the first demand response event, wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are determined based on energy demand curtailment objectives of the first demand response event and a hierarchy of predetermined demand reduction actions for the first demand response event available for the one or more end users and ordered to minimize undesired impact at the one or more end users, wherein a first of predetermined demand reduction actions includes supplying energy from an alternative energy source to operate a first appliance at the one or more end users monitoring data related to implementing energy demand curtailment at the one or more end users; and a demand reduction action signal generator to generate a demand reduction action signal to implement the one or more demand reduction actions at least one of one or more appliances of the one or more end users and one or more supplemental energy sources for supplying energy to the one or more end users.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising: display control means to control generation of a display including rendering data associated with implementation of demand reduction at the one or more end users.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the rendering data includes substantially real time data indicating extent of participation of the one or more end users in the demand response events and substantially real time electrical power demand by the one or more ends users, and wherein the rendering data is presentable in a predetermined format.
33. The apparatus of claim 30 , wherein the monitoring data includes at least one of real time interior environmental data for the one or more end users; real time exterior environmental data for to the one or more end users; real time energy consumption data for the one or more end users; and real time supplemental energy generation data for the one or more end users; appliance operation data for the one or more end users; and supplemental energy source operation data.
34. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising: a transmitter to transmit the demand reduction action signal to at least one of the one or more appliances of the one or more end users and the one or more supplemental energy sources for supplying energy to the one or more end users.
35. The apparatus of claim 30 further comprising: a receiver to receive the electronic message data from an apparatus, wherein the apparatus is for generating a control signal or control data based on the demand reduction action signal to implement the one or more demand reductions at least one of a first appliance of a first of the end users and a first supplemental energy source for supplying energy to the first end user.
36. An apparatus for fully automated energy demand curtailment, the apparatus comprising: a monitoring data unit to create monitoring data based on information supplied by or acquired from an appliance of an end user, an energy consumption meter of the end user, and an environmental conditions and appliance operational status monitor of the end user connected to the apparatus; a generator to generate a signal or control data to implement one or more demand reduction actions for at least one of the appliance of the end user and a supplemental energy source for supplying supplemental energy to the end user based on a demand reduction signal received at the apparatus, wherein the demand reduction signal indicates the one or more demand reductions actions which have been determined in accordance with a first demand response event determined from an electronic message data received over a communication network, and wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are to be implemented at the end user who is under contract to implement demand reduction for the first demand response event, wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are determined based on energy demand curtailment objectives of the first demand response event and a hierarchy of predetermined demand reduction actions for the first demand response event available for the end user and ordered to minimize undesired impact at the end user, wherein a first of predetermined demand reduction actions includes supplying energy from an alternative energy source to operate a first appliance at the one or more end users.
37. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising: an input unit to receive input data representative of a criteria relating to the demand reduction actions available for the end user.
38. The apparatus of claim 36 , wherein the monitoring data includes at least one of real time interior environmental data for the one or more end users; real time exterior environmental data for to the one or more end users; real time energy consumption data for the one or more end users; and real time supplemental energy generation data for the one or more end users; appliance operation data for the one or more end users; and supplemental energy source operation data.
39. The apparatus of claim 36 further comprising: a transmitter to transmit the monitoring data and user input data to a demand reduction action apparatus at which the one or more demand reduction actions are determined.
40. A method for fully automated energy demand curtailment, the method comprising: determining, by a processor, one or more demand reduction actions to be implemented automatically at one or more end users who provide criteria for implementation of demand reduction, wherein the one or more demand reduction actions are determined based on a hierarchy of predetermined demand reduction actions available for the one or more end users and ordered to minimize undesired impact at the one or more end users: wherein a first of predetermined demand reduction actions includes supplying energy from an alternative energy source to operate a first appliance at the one or more end users; monitoring data related to implementing energy demand curtailment at the one or more end users; and generating a signal or control data to implement the one or more demand reduction actions at least one of one or more appliances of the one or more end users and one or more supplemental energy sources for supplying energy to the one or more end users.
41. The method of claim 40 , wherein the criteria is associated with real time pricing of electrical power, and a first demand reduction action is supplying a predetermined amount of supplemental electrical power to the one or more end users from a supplemental electrical power source during a predetermined time period.
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October 8, 2009
April 2, 2013
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